(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel ether carboxylates and more particularly, to ether carboxylates useful as surface active agents of low stimulus and a process for preparing the same.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Surface active agents are compounds which have hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups in the molecule thereof and have wide utility in the fields of cosmetics, starting materials for detergents, medicines, paints, fiber treatments, emulsifiers and the like because of their good fundamental properties such as of moistening, cleaning, emulsification, dispersion and foaming. However, surface active agents are required to have various properties depending on the purpose of use. In particular, when used as household detergents, surface active agents which are mild to the skin, are biologically decomposable, and are free of public nuisance are demanded, but satisfactory surface active agents have not been provided yet.
Under these circumstances in the art, the present inventors made intensive studies and, as a result, found that compounds of the following general formula (I) have a good surface active property and are mild to the skin with good biological decomposability. In addition, the compounds can be prepared by a simple manner using inexpensive and readily available starting materials in high purity and high yield. The present invention was accomplished based on the above findings.